Even If i Walk Alone

Instructing and encouraging you to live your life as a disciple of Jesus

priorities

Tithing

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One of the most controversial subjects among Christians inexplicably seems to revolve around the concept of tithing. Since this was an Old Testament principle, doesn’t the cross of Jesus nullify the tithe? Is the tithe figured off of my gross pay or my net pay? Do I have to tithe on money given to me as a gift? Is the tithe supposed to go to the local church? It is mind-boggling how such a simple concept can become so twisted and convoluted. The uncomfortable truth is that the root of all the questions and disagreement is greed and selfishness. Let’s face it, the reason we argue for tithing less is because we wish to keep more for ourselves. Now that we’ve gotten that ugly truth out of the way, let’s take a look at a few of the questions above.

Yes, the tithe is indeed an Old Testament principle, but no, the cross does not make the Old Testament law irrelevant. Jesus clearly stated in Matthew 5:17-19 that He did not come to destroy the law, but rather to fulfill it. He told those gathered there that anyone who breaks the least of the laws or teaches anyone else to break them will be the least in the Kingdom. Jesus’ blood on the cross fulfilled the need for sacrifice in the law. He became that sacrifice. But His blood did not mean that we were to stop living by the remainder of the law. For example, we never seem to argue that it’s okay to murder or steal or commit adultery because the cross of Jesus made those laws irrelevant. We also seem to fight for our day of rest, even though that too was an Old Testament principle. Like speaking out against one sin while engaging in others, we pick on tithing only because it disrupts our own lifestyle. We want to keep more money for ourselves. It is a case of idolatry, for as Paul states in Ephesians 5:5, a greedy person is an idolater.

Whether or not one tithes on their gross or net pay is another example of greed. We are simply looking for a way to give less. Your gross pay is your salary. We pay taxes from our salary, just as Jesus said that we should (Luke 20:25). Just because the laws of our land take taxes out of your check before you ever see it does not change the fact that you are simply paying taxes out of your salary. Taxes are a bill you pay, no different from your electricity or water bill. I’ve never really heard a debate about whether we should tithe on the amount of money we have left after all our bills are paid or before all our bills are paid. Again, the gross vs. net argument is one for selfish people seeking to keep more of God’s money for themselves. Keeping money that isn’t yours is called stealing in most cultures. I would never want to be the one who stands before God and has to explain why I stole money from Him. I can’t imagine a much more uncomfortable or dangerous conversation.

I think the answers to the remaining questions above can be summed up with a simple story. I was recently asked by a group of friends for my opinion on the tithe, whether the amount was truly the Old Testament principle of 10% or not. My response was simply, “As long as there are people living in poverty, as long as there are people without food or hope in this world, then we haven’t given enough.” It distresses me that the question is always, “How much must I give” rather than being overwhelmed by the opportunity to give all that we can for the purpose of carrying out the mission of Jesus Christ. Where you give that money should be where it is needed most in order to fulfill the teachings of Jesus. Perhaps that’s to an orphanage in Russia or a food bank in your city or a refugee camp in Darfur or a school in India. Perhaps it is to your local church if they are wise stewards of that money and use it to meet the needs of the orphans, the widows and those in need. We are the hands and feet of Jesus, entrusted with His money to do His works among His creation. That is the only litmus test we need keep in mind.

Remember that most arguments over tithing boil down to our own selfishness, greed and lack of faith. I have yet to meet someone who gives back to the Lord a portion of what has been given to them, who doesn’t have their needs met. God will bless you based on the attitude of your heart and the faith you place in Him. He cares for His children; He knows your needs. Let go of the earthly things to which you hold so tightly. Give all you can because it is our good pleasure to serve the One who gave His life for us. Total sacrifice was not too great a price for Jesus to pay for us. He asks for nothing less in return.

Seeking the Kingdom First

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For those familiar with Scripture, you are more than likely aware of the command to “Seek first the Kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33). This is pretty clear and straightforward. If you are a list oriented person like me, you may be wondering what numbers two, three and four might be. We’re good with seeking the Kingdom first, but what are we to seek next? In truth there is no next. There are two reasons why this is a list of one, and why one is all that we need.

First, we are never able to check off the first (and only) item on the list. We never fully accomplish seeking the Kingdom of God first. Seeking the Kingdom of God is a moment by moment endeavor. We may successfully seek the Kingdom first in one moment, but in the next we are back to our own selfish pursuits. Since we are no longer seeking the Kingdom first, we must return to number one on our list. In fact the very moment we cross off “Seek God’s Kingdom” from our list, we immediately nullify its completion. At that moment we have become self-serving and are no longer seeking the Kingdom first. Seeking first the Kingdom of God is a lifelong activity. We must consciously choose to seek His Kingdom every moment we live. Since He never told us to stop seeking, and since He never rescinded that command, we must continue on with the last instruction we received. We must continue to seek Him. It can be a daunting challenge to constantly seek His kingdom first; daunting, but not impossible. God is with us at every moment. He is with you right now. We often forget that His Spirit is alive and at work within us. If you are a sincere follower of Christ, the Spirit of God is part of your life at all times. He gives us the ability to consult with Him at any moment, for as long as we need. Our job is simply to remind ourselves that He is with us; we must master the discipline of becoming intimately and consciously aware of His constant presence in our lives.

The second reason we have a list of one is that this one item encompasses all that we are to do in service to Jesus. Seeking His kingdom first means we will see Jesus in everyone. We will see Him as the hungry child orphaned by the plague of AIDS, and we will feed Him. We will see him in the hollow eyes of the crippled homeless man, and we will shelter him. We will see Him sick and in agony, and we will care for his needs. If we seek first God’s Kingdom, we will behave like citizens of that Kingdom. We will love God with all of our heart, all of our soul, and all of our minds. We will love our neighbors more than we love ourselves. We will seek to do the things that Jesus did and we will carry on the mission He left for us to do. If we seek first His kingdom, we will live lives that look like Jesus. We will know what it means to walk as Jesus walked, and to love as Jesus loved.

Seeking the Kingdom is not simply the first thing we are to do as followers of Christ; it is the only thing we are to do. If we will follow this single command, we will do all that Jesus told us to do. Begin recognizing that God is with you at all times. Seek Him out in every situation; get in the habit of engaging in non-stop conversation with our King. As we shift our focus, moment by moment, onto His Kingdom and His plans, we will find that burdens and sins begin to melt away. There is no room for sin in a life that is wholly devoted to God. There is no burden so heavy that it is not diminished in the presence of God. Seek first the Kingdom of God, and seek nothing else. In seeking Him first we will find His peace, His patience and His love. Seek Him first, and seek Him only; then you will be fully and truly whole.

Deconstruction

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We all have areas and activities in our lives that we try and keep off limits to God. We can easily give up 95% of our lives to the Lord, but that last 5% can be a little tricky and full of difficulty. For too long we’ve allowed these areas of disobedience to diminish our effectiveness for God. As long as these “idols” (for that is truly what they are) remain in our lives, we can never achieve all that God has in mind for us to do. In my experience and observation, these sacred cows usually come in two flavors: entertainment and money. What are your sacred cows?

For many, they are good with altering their lifestyle a bit, as long as they can continue to spend their money however they wish. They’ll give to a charity here and there, and even some to their local church. But for the most part, “their” money is theirs to do with as they please. Some will go a step further and give the 10% tithe to their church, but that’s absolutely it; the other 90% is theirs.

Others don’t wish to give up their choices of entertainment. They have no problem giving money to God, but please don’t ask them to lay down the golf clubs or video game controller. I’ve been told that this is what they do to unwind, and if they stopped doing these things, they’d be much less happy and therefore a less effective witness for Jesus.

Let’s do a little deconstruction of the above idols. When we do not surrender “our” money to God, we essentially are asserting that we do not trust Him to be able to provide for our needs. After all, why else would we be afraid to hand control of this area over to Him? When we refuse to surrender our entertainment choices to Him, we are letting Him know that peace and happiness are of our own creation, not His.

This is not meant to be an indictment against golf or video games; they are just two easy examples of current entertainment trends. The issue comes in when we refuse to surrender these items to God. When we spend more time entertaining ourselves than we spend doing Kingdom work, there is a serious problem. When we spend more money on ourselves than on others, we are living a life that is contrary to the one Christ told us to live.

Why are we afraid to give the money we have been entrusted with to care for the poor and the needy? Do we really believe that God will allow us to starve because we gave all our money to the hungry? Even if we were to end up starving, what a way to go! We might die without food in our bellies but we’d have the love of Jesus on our lips. I’ll choose the latter any day. Why are we so certain that we cannot find peace, love, and utter joy in the arms of Jesus? Why do we believe we must seek our happiness in forms of entertainment that draw us away from being the hands and feet of Jesus?

What are your sacred cows, the areas of your life that you are hesitant to hand over to Jesus? Do you trust Him to care for your needs, both financial and emotional? Do you desire to live your life fully for Him? Take some time to determine the mental vices that prevent you from giving 100% of your life to Jesus. Take the time to ferret out the deep seeded reasons behind your hesitance to release everything to Him. At the root, you will find the lies of Satan. Don’t let him steal the joy and sense of fulfillment from your life for the sake of his lies. See your sacred cows for what they are – pale and inadequate substitutes for the love of Christ. Take some time to deconstruct your objections and allow Jesus to build a new mind within you. Then you will find the true peace that comes only from God.

How Are You Spending Your Time?

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Where is your life leading? Are you pursuing things that further the kingdom of God or are you pursuing things that bring pleasure to your own life? The Western world is filled with marketing that caters to our desires for pleasure and entertainment. We are regularly bombarded by images, music and slogans that have absolutely no kingdom value. Remember, we are supposed to be bringing the Kingdom of God down to this earth. We are supposed to be preparing our world to house God’s kingdom. Are the things we are pursuing and allowing to influence our lives moving us toward or away from that goal?

So much competes for our attention on a daily basis. What matters is what you allow to actually capture your attention. Jesus was pretty clear about where our attention should be focused; we should be continually focused on the poor, the hurting, the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless, the widow, the single moms and the orphans. How does this list compare with what has your attention today? Every time we take our eyes off of the mission of Jesus, we are turning against that very same mission. How will we explain ourselves when we stand and face Jesus? How will we account for our time? We have such a limited number of years here on earth that we cannot afford to waste a minute of it. Unfortunately, most of us waste the vast majority of our time in pursuit of things that have no relevance to the Kingdom. It is vital we understand that we are responsible for how we spend every moment of our lives.

I am not advocating that we should never do anything for simple fun or entertainment, but we must make certain that these activities do not dominate our lives. Whenever you plan your day, make certain to include kingdom building tasks and activities. Before engaging in anything, do a quick mental check and ask yourself if this action will advance the kingdom of God in any way. Will it negatively affect the advancement of the kingdom? We are called to live a different life from those who do not follow Christ. The road we travel is narrow, and we cannot carry much baggage. We must live and walk simply. Most of all, we must be careful to not fall behind or stumble to the side. Let those around you pursue the pleasures of this world. We have a higher call on our lives, an example we must set.

Perhaps you feel as if you will be missing out on things if you do not take advantage of what the world has to offer. Think about that for a minute; you are afraid that by following Jesus, the one to whom you have sworn allegiance, the one you claim to love above all else, that you might miss something better. Know this: there is nothing so satisfying as walking as Jesus walked, loving like He loved, and serving as He served. You will not miss a thing. To believe otherwise is to believe the lies of the enemy and to buy into the messages being put forth by the media. Who is it that you trust to tell you the truth – Jesus or Madison Avenue?

Try an entertainment fast. Refrain from some form of entertainment media for thirty days; don’t watch television, don’t eat out, don’t play video games, don’t turn on the radio, etc. Whatever it is that might be a sacrifice to you, try giving it up for 30 days. Do it for Jesus, commit the time to Him. You’ll be amazed how much time you have on your hands and how much more you are able to accomplish.

Are you living for the kingdom or yourself? Will you be ashamed to give an account of how you spent your time on earth? Are you working towards making the kingdom of God a reality on this earth? If not, why not? Where are your loyalties? Is He truly your Lord? If He is, you will follow Him regardless of the consequence. Check your motives and priorities, and change what you must. Embrace the deep joy of following Christ and giving Him all that you have.

Why We Don’t Utilize God’s Gifts

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In the last blog post (see “Gifts from God”), we discussed the gifts that God has given to each one of us. A reader asked why I thought people did not use the gifts they have been given, and I felt this was worthy of a follow up post. I’d be very interested to hear some of your thoughts as well, so please leave a comment with some of the reasons you believe people do not use their gifts, or perhaps even reasons you have refrained from using your own gifts. I’m certain your comments will be useful, inspiring and thought provoking to the rest of the audience.

So what are some of the reasons people do not exercise the gifts God has given them? If we take a step back and analyze the question, it is somewhat unbelievable to conceive of the premise; we have been given gifts, talents, and abilities from the Creator of the Universe and the only thing we see fit to do with them is hide them away so no one knows! This surely is not our finest moment. When I was growing up, I remember people (mostly women) who would get a towel from Elvis Presley at his concert; they showed everyone their gift (if a sweat covered rag indeed qualifies as a gift)! They couldn’t wait to tell everyone they’d meet about this amazing item. It was displayed with honor in their homes, there for all to see. My example is somewhat frivolous I realize, but the truth remains. When someone we admire gives us a gift, we can’t shut up about it. We are compelled to use it and tell the story behind it to everyone we encounter. Yet when the King of the Universe, the one we proclaim is our Lord, gives us a gift, we hide it away to make certain no one knows about it. Why?

Fear – We are afraid people will make fun of us; we’re afraid to be labeled a Jesus freak or a fanatic. We’re afraid we’ll be cast out of our circle of friends. We’re afraid people will look down on us. There is no fear in love and God is, above all else, love. If we are fearful then we are not trusting in Him. Would you follow someone you don’t trust? Of course you wouldn’t. If you are fearful, then you are not trusting God, and so it would seem logical to conclude you are not following Him. We follow those we trust. If you would be a true follower of Christ, there can be no fear in doing so.

Time – We claim we don’t have time to use our gifts. Our society and lives have become so busy that there simply isn’t space in our life to make use of what God entrusted to us. If this is you, may I humbly suggest that your priorities are not in order? If you have time for other things, but not for God and the works He gave you to accomplish, then He is not Lord of your life. Stop kidding yourself; you are not following Jesus if you are too busy following other pursuits in life. This is dangerous and you need to surrender yourself to Him anew.

Money – Our gifts require us to spend some money, and we simply don’t have it. God equips you to do the works He designed for you. If He calls you to feed the hungry and you can barely afford food for your own family, you need to simply trust Him to provide. Use whatever you have to do what He created you to do. He’ll take care of the rest. Following Jesus means walking a path that won’t always make sense to us. We aren’t called to understand everything He commands us to do; we are called to simply do. If He is truly your Lord, you will trust Him. If you do not have the faith in Jesus to provide for your needs, then you are not truly following Christ; you are merely a spectator in the crowd.

Laziness – Following Jesus is a hard road; it requires hard work. Many times we simply don’t feel like putting forth the effort. We’d rather catch an extra hour of sleep or watch something on television. In the Western culture, it is easy to forget that there is a spiritual war being waged all around us. If you believe in Christ and in His word, you know this to be true. If we are lazy in war, we will be defeated. If we are defeated, we cannot be following Christ, because Christ is never defeated. We can get knocked down, but as long as we are following Christ, we can never be beaten. There are no timeouts in war. There is no possible way to follow Jesus in a lackadaisical manner.

Selfishness – If we were to use our gifts, we would never have time to do the things we want to do. If this is where you find yourself, you need to take a hard look at what you want to do with the life God has given you. Either Jesus is the Lord of your life or you are. Whom will you choose? Following Jesus is an all or nothing proposition; you can’t serve two masters. If you are to be a true follower of Jesus, you must give up your life as you know it. Jesus died for you; we must do the same for Him. If you would proclaim Jesus as Lord, your every aim and desire must be to do the works He created you to do.

Are you utilizing the gifts God has given to you? If not, did you find yourself in any of the excuses above? If you haven’t been using what God has entrusted to you, it’s not too late. As long as you have breath you can begin to use what God has given you to accomplish the tasks He created you to do. Not sure where to start? Drop me a line ([email protected]); I’ll help you figure it out. Not sure what to do? Start with the basics: feed the hungry; shelter the homeless; take care of the sick, the orphans, the widows and those in poverty. Be the hands and feet of Jesus. Do the work He created you to do. Utilize the gifts God has given you.